Autonomous collective movement appears all around the living world from protein motors, bacteria colonies to schools of fish and flocks of birds. Despite dramatic biological differences these systems exhibit similar patterns and dynamics pointing on common principles independent of microscopic details.
My research focuses on self-shaping and tissue morphogenesis mechanisms. Comparing experiments and theory I am exploring the fundamental laws of physics governing organization of multicellular ensembles across different types of living cells.
In the laboratory we are developing novel techniques to measure and control organisation of multicellular structures. Our experiments rely on microscopy, microfabricated environments and image analysis algorithms.

2023
• Crisscross multilayering of cell sheets, Sarkar T, Yashunsky V, Brézin L, Blanch-Mercader C, Aryaksama T, Lacroix M, Risler T, Joanny JF, Silberzan P, PNAS Nexus (2023)
2022
• Chiral edge current in nematic cell monolayers, Yashunsky V, Pearce D. J. G, Blanch-Mercader C, Ascione F, Silberzan P and Giomi L, Physical Review X (2022), 12(4):041017
2021
• Heat flux balance description of unidirectional freezing and melting dynamics on a translational temperature gradient stage, Chasnitsky M, Yashunsky V, and Braslavsky I, International Journal of Thermal Sciences, (2021) 161:106734
before 2019
• Labyrinth ice pattern formation induced by near-infrared irradiation, Guy-Preis S, Hayet H, Katz A, Yashunsky V, Kaner A, Ullman S, Braslavsky I, Science Advances, (2019) 5(3): eaav1598,
• Turbulent dynamics of epithelial cell cultures, Blanch-Mercader C, Yashunsky V, Garcia S, Duclos G, Giomi L, Silberzan P, Physical Review Letters, (2018), 120(20): 208101
• Spontaneous shear flow in confined cellular nematics, Duclos G, Blanch-Mercader C, Yashunsky V, Salbreux G, Joanny JF, Prost J, Silberzan P, Nature Physics, (2018), 14(7): 728-732

2022 - present: Senior Lecturer, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research (SIDEER), The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
2015 - 2019: Postdoctoral fellow with Pascal Silberzan, Laboratoire Physico-Chimie, Institut Curie, Paris, France
2013 - 2015: Postdoctoral fellow with Ido Braslavsky, Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
2007 - 2013: PhD (direct track)under supervision of Dan Davidov, Micael Golosovsky and co-supervision of Benjamin Aroeti, Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel